Dear Hillary,
As you know there are many foreigners who have a Thai motorcycle license, but we don’t come within a whisker of becoming as competent as a Thai motorcyclist. Well I’m on my way to being like a Thai rider. I can now dial a number and speak on my mobile phone while riding my bike. As we know indicators are never used by motorcyclists in Thailand so the one handed riding does not handicap you in any way.
My next test is to ride while holding an umbrella, but as the rainy season is over I will have to use it as a sun shade!
One last thing, we have pedestrian crossings in Chiang Mai controlled by a traffic light and the other day a Thai driver actually stopped on the red light! My thought was he should be stuffed and put in a museum as that was an amazing thing to happen, a first I think!
Love to you and all the staff at the Mail, Hillary…
Delboy

Dear Delboy,
How nice to hear from you again and to know that the training wheels have been removed from your motorcycle. One of my farang acquaintances down here was all excited at having managed to complete an ambition. This was to actually be the last one across on the red light! This accomplishment was something very rare, as normally he had found there were at least four Thai drivers following him when he was running red lights. However, my two-wheeled Petal, I do not condone this activity, and please make sure you are more careful in future.

Dear Hillary,
I apologize for my unprofessional English. Is it possible that a letter from Germany are not arriving the receiver or right target? I have meet a nice Thai girl in the last holiday and the friendship between us are deepens. I write in the meantime several letters to my girlfriend and she write me back. And we have no problems until now. The last letter I write on August but no answer. Inside the letter 2,000 baht and some picture. I called to my girl at the bar but she said there is no letter coming from me. What will I do? Your newspaper are my only help for my Heartbreak Situation. I talk with other people who are stay in Thailand before and they talk to me that some girls are simply lying. But I am really desperate and I only want to know what is true or not, because I love she very much. Have maybe somebody of the Post staff stolen the letter or anybody else? So I want to know your meaning about this sadden situation. I am thank you and I looking forward of an answer of you to me.
Jurgen

Dear Jurgen from ‘Jeraman’,
Don’t worry about your English as your emotions came through very plainly (and painfully too). Unfortunately I have heard from many people that letters containing money go missing. The answer is to disguise the fact that there may be money in the letter by putting it inside a card or a small magazine. That way when the letter is held up to a bright light you cannot see the money inside. Perhaps it might also be better to save your money so that you can get over here more often. There are much safer ways to transfer money too. Have you looked into using a safe Debit card account for her, as you can transfer money directly to an account that you control. By the way, I don’t think your girlfriend is lying, from the information that you have given me, but scams have been known for many years. Be careful!

Dear Hillary,
I am a bored ex-pat wife. My husband’s contract is for three years and I do not wish to get involved in small town politics. But I do want to join a woman’s group here in Pattaya. I am European and interested in art, poetry and local culture (but not the politics!). I am multi-lingual, so language spoken is not really a problem. What I am looking for is a group of women who are not “bitchy”. Relocation to Thailand is enough of an upset, having had to leave my two lovely dogs behind, without unwittingly making enemies by being involved with the “wrong” people. What ones are you in? Please advise.
Mignon

Dear Mignon,
Like all things in life, it’s horses for courses. Women’s groups, like all clubs and societies, have good and bad members. Some are angled towards special interests like yoga or sewing, others towards charity work, whilst others are more of the ‘cat and coffee’ sessions. I only belong to the Secret Society of Advisors for the Broken-hearted and Lonely so I cannot give you first hand advice on which to join. Look in the Mail each week and you will get contact numbers for clubs and associations. Try before you buy is my motto. Remember that there are also mixed groups such as the service organizations that might suit you more. Good luck!